Commonwealth v. Jahkil Tiashion McPhail; Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Armed Robbery that Led to Officer-Involved Shooting

Virginia Beach, Va. – Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth's Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced that Jahkil Tiashion McPhail, age 23, of the 700 block of Hampshire Lane in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced today on charges of Robbery (2 counts), Use of a Firearm (3 counts), Conspiracy, Abduction, and Wearing a Mask in Public. Circuit Court Judge James C. Lewis sentenced McPhail to 87 years in prison with 47 years suspended, leaving forty (40) years to serve.

McPhail pled guilty on August 23, 2021. Had this matter gone to trial, the Commonwealth's evidence would have proven that on October 11, 2018, Jahkil McPhail and his co-defendant, Jasper Wynn, planned to rob a 7-Eleven store on S. Independence Boulevard. They approached on foot, wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts. They encountered a female clerk outside the store and forced her inside at gunpoint. They ordered her and another clerk to the ground and took money and cigarettes.

Prior to this night, police investigated several other similar robberies in that area of the city. They developed a planned patrol to surveil possible targeted stores. On this date, two Virginia Beach police officers had just arrived at the 7-Eleven and parked their surveillance van in the parking lot facing the store. They saw McPhail and Wynn force the clerk inside and commit the armed robbery. They called for back-up and confronted McPhail and Wynn as they fled on foot. Both officers, dressed in full police uniform, identified themselves as "police" and ordered the men to stop. McPhail, carrying the bag of money and cigarettes, ran off. He was later apprehended by a K-9 unit hiding in a nearby backyard shed with a mask and gloves nearby.

As McPhail fled, Wynn turned toward the officers and fired at them. They returned fire. Wynn was struck in the right forearm. One of the officers later discovered a bullet hole through the lower leg of his uniform and a graze wound to his leg. A bullet was also recovered from the officers' van, where the second officer had been standing during the shooting. Wynn also fled and was apprehended a short distance away behind a closed business. Police recovered a mask and gloves from Wynn in the area where he was arrested. Wynn's car was discovered parked in the neighborhood behind the 7-Eleven.

Wynn pled guilty to charges of Attempted Capital Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer (2 counts), Robbery (2 counts), Use of a Firearm (3 counts), Conspiracy, Abduction, and Wearing a Mask in Public. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 14, 2022.

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Sara R. Chandler and Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney S. Mario Lorello prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Allen if additional information is desired.